[W1SMH] Fwd: Situational Awareness Statement #3 - Potentially Major and Destructive Winter Storm/Blizzard to Impact the State

[Ray Cord via W1SMH]

Sent from AOL Mobile Mail



On Monday, January 26, 2015, MEMA State Control (CDA) <memastatecontrol at massmail.state.ma.us> wrote:

  

 

DATE: January 26, 2015

TIME: 12:30 PM

 

SUBJECT: Potentially Major and Destructive Winter Storm/Blizzard to Impact the State

 

Situation

Massachusetts will experience a severe and potentially historic storm this afternoon through Wednesday morning, complete with snowfall measured in feet, damaging winds, and serious coastal flooding.  A corridor of heavy, wet snow is expected in southeast MA (east of I-95) where temperatures will near 32 degrees, making for heavy wet snow. Elsewhere, colder temperatures (teens and 20’s) will make for fluffier snow. Snowfall totals are expected to reach over 20 inches across much of the Commonwealth, with pockets of 30+ inches possible.  The Cape and Martha’s Vineyard will see 12+ inches. This storm could come close to rivaling the records for Boston (27.6” for the 2003 President’s Day storm) and Worcester (32.1” for the Dec. 11-12, 1992 storm).

 

The storm will bring potentially damaging winds. The Cape and Martha’s Vineyard may see wind gusts 65-75 mph, with hurricane force winds on the outer Cape and Nantucket and over the waters.  Winds will gust from 55-65 mph in southeastern MA, 45-55 mph in the Boston – Providence corridor, 25-45 mph in central MA, and 15-25 in western MA. Strong winds and blizzard conditions will cause considerable blowing and drifting snow with near zero visibility. 

 

The heavy snow and strong winds likely will result in downed tree limbs, trees, and utility poles/wires. Widespread power outages, potentially lasting multiple days, are possible with this storm.  Travel may become impossible and life threatening across the state. 

 

Watches and Warnings

 

Blizzard Warning: S. Worcester, Essex, Middlesex (except northwest Middlesex), Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth counties from 7:00 p.m. Monday through 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, and for Barnstable and Dukes counties from 7:00 p.m. Monday through noon Tuesday.

Winter Storm Warning: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, north and central Worcester and northwest Middlesex counties from 7:00 p.m. Monday through 1:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Winter Storm Watch: Nantucket county from 7:00 p.m. Monday through 6:00 p.m. Wednesday.

High Wind Warning: Nantucket county 7:00 p.m. Monday through 1:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Hurricane Force Wind Warning: for all waters except Boston Harbor, Mass Bay, Narragansett Bay and Block Island Sound from 1:00 a.m. through midnight Tuesday.

Coastal Flood Warning: All of eastern Massachusetts coastline including Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket from 3:00 a.m. through 7:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday.

 

Timing

Light snow will impact the late afternoon commute on Monday. 1-2” of snow may be on the ground in the Boston/Worcester/Springfield areas by the end of the evening rush hour. Snowfall will be heaviest between late tonight and Tuesday morning, with rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour possible.  Thundersnow may also occur in this time window.  Snow will continue through Tuesday night at varying intensity and likely last until daybreak Wednesday morning.

 

Potential Impacts

Heavy Snowfall:  Total snowfall amounts of 2-3 feet by Wednesday morning are possible in Eastern and Central Massachusetts, with more than a foot of snow on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard.

 

Damaging Winds: Strong and damaging winds, possibly approaching hurricane force gusts; 75mph on the Cape and Islands, up to 80 mph on the outer Cape and Nantucket, 45-55mph in Boston, 25-45 mph in central MA, and 15-25 in western MA.

 

Coastal Flooding: Moderate flooding and significant beach erosion is likely to occur with pockets of major flooding on northeast-facing shorelines. A 3 – 3 ½ foot storm surge and 20 – 25 foot offshore wave activity is expected. The greatest impact will be during the Tuesday morning high tide (4-5 AM), with anticipated flooding of shoreline roads, damage to vulnerable structures and severe beach erosion.  The Tuesday afternoon high tide, while not as high as the morning high tide, will have higher wave activity and is expected to bring moderate flooding and beach erosion.

 

Wind Chills: 0 to -5 degrees in western/central MA throughout the storm.

 

Power Outages: Widespread power outages, potentially lasting multiple days, are possible with this storm.

 

Watches and Warnings:

 



 

Expected Snowfall Totals:



 

 

Forecast Maximum Wind Gusts:

 



 

Coastal Flooding



 

 

State of Emergency

Governor Baker issued a State Emergency Declaration at 11:30 a.m.

 

Travel Ban

Governor Baker has issued a travel ban beginning at midnight tonight.  A copy of the Executive Order is attached. The travel ban will be lifted on a county by county basis as conditions allow, and exemptions to the travel ban are as follows:

 

Public safety vehicles, sworn and civilian public safety personnel, including those providing services at correctional facilities, and private sector security personnel
Public works vehicles and public works personnel, including contract personnel supporting public works operations
Public transportation vehicles and public transportation personnel, including contract personnel supporting public transportation operations
Government personnel conducting official business
Utility company vehicles and personnel, including contract personnel supporting utility response and restoration efforts
Personnel directly supporting storm response operations, including but not limited to emergency shelter personnel
Personnel supporting human services facilities, including but not limited to residential housing programs and human services shelter operations
Healthcare personnel, including home healthcare personnel and personal care assistants
Personnel delivering or supporting services at healthcare facilities, including those that provide long term care and mental health care, as well as hospitals and other healthcare facilities
Vehicles and personnel providing critical supplies to healthcare facilities, including those that provide long term care and mental health care, as well as hospitals and other healthcare facilities
News media
Private sector snow removal equipment engaged in, or traveling in connection with the removal or clearance of snow and ice from public or private sector facilities
Patients traveling for the purpose of receiving urgent critical care, and persons traveling with those patients who are necessary to facilitate that urgent critical care
Travel necessary to maintain critical private sector facilities, services and operations, and to deliver or support critical private sector services and supplies in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, fuel, financial systems, and the provision of critical commodities
Travel to support business operations that provide critical services to the public, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, food stores and hardware stores
 

MEMA Operations

 

The State Emergency Operations Center is operating at Level 2 (Partial Activation). MEMA continues to coordinate with NWS and public safety partners and will activate the SEOC to Level 3 (Full Activation) at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon.

 

MEMA is actively planning with its Emergency Support Function (ESF) partners around the following high-priority areas:

 

Public information and alerting
Support for coastal evacuations
Assistance to stranded motorists
Debris management
Emergency fuel
Shelter operations
Power outages and support for utility restoration operations
Mutual aid 
 

MEMA will host a call with local Emergency Management Directors statewide at 10:00 AM today.  Additional calls will be scheduled as needed.

 

MEMA will continue to monitor the forecast and will issue additional Situational Awareness Statements as needed.

 

 

 

Stay Informed 

For additional information and updated forecasts, see www.weather.gov/boston (National Weather Service Taunton) and www.weather.gov/albany (National Weather Service Albany)

 

Utilize Massachusetts Alerts to receive emergency notifications and information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service.  Massachusetts Alerts is a free app that is available for Android and iPhones. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp.

Utilize MEMA’s real-time power outage viewer to stay informed about current power outages in your community and region, and across the state, including information from utility companies about restoration times: http://mema.mapsonline.net/public.html

Online Resources:

For additional information and resources, visit:
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency at www.mass.gov/mema
MEMA's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA
MEMA Twitter: @MassEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov
National Weather Service/Taunton at www.weather.gov/boston
National Weather Service/Albany, NY at www.weather.gov/albany
National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center:  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/
Northeast River Forecast Center: http://www.weather.gov/nerfc/

Mass211 at www.mass211.org